Automobile cover



May 30, 1 3 E. WANDSCHEER AUTOMOBILE COVER Filed Dec. 12, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 1 y 30, 1933- E. WANDSCHEER 1,912,231

AUT OMOB I LE COVER Filed Dec. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May30, 1933 EVEBT WANDSCHEEB, OF srnmormm, SOUTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMOBEE covm Application filed December 12, 1931. Serial No. 580,642..

My invention relates to a collapsible cover which can be drawn over anautomobileand secured to protect the automobile from the elements andfor other reasons.

An object of my invention is to provide such a cover which can bereadily positioned and drawn over the automobile with a minimum of timeand labor.

A further object of my invention is to provide a winding arrangement towind up the cover in a convenient manner after the said cover has beenused.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cover which will remainin a comparatively secure position and will not be aflected by a strongwind or other elements which may tend to remove the cover in undesirableweather conditions.

Another object of my invention is to provide a winding arrangement whichwill serve to keep the tent structure comparatively taut when it iswound up on the reel provided, so that the collapsible tent struc- 25ture will not be blown about when it IS wound.

A further object of my invention is to provide such an automobile coverwhich 'can be made quite simply and with a minimum m of parts.

y With these and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination ofthe various parts of my device, whereby the objects con- 35 templatedare attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in myclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the g cover over a car,

Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1, and aliso shows how thecollapsible cover is folde P, V

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tightening 5 device, a

Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is the same view of this device as in Figure 4 except that thedevice is closed,

50 Figure 6 is a front view of Figure 5,

- portion 33. This extended portion is posi- Figure 7 is a reel andcase,

Figure 8 is a rear view of attached-to a radiator cap,

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view of Figure 11 taken along thelines 9-9 and shows the winding arrangement in detail,

Figure 10 is a sectional view of Figure 8 taken. generally along thelines 1010,

Figure 11 is a view of the winding arrangement and case, 1

Figure 12 is an enlarged view of the spring and stifl'ener device. i

l have used the reference character 10 to designate generally theautomobile itself, and the complete fabric cover is indicated by thecharacter 11.

Aiiixed to the front bumper bars 12 of the car is the winding case 13.The case 13 is attached to the bars 12 by means of small brackets 14 and15. These brackets 14 and 15 are suitably attached to the case at 16 and17 by any satisfactory method such as bolting, etc., and these bracketsinclude the openings 18 and 19 for slipping over the bumper bars.

The small cap screws 20 and 21 provide tightening means for thebrackets.

The winding arrangement shall next he described. A pair of half roundmetal bars 22 and 23 are adapted to be received within the recessantportion 24 of the element 25, which is a gear of the internal typehaving its gear teeth on the inside as at 26. A smaller external gear 27is arranged to drive the gear 25 (see Figure 9).

The small gear 27 is firmly pinned to the handle 28 which passes throughthe member 29, which member acts as a hearing.

The member 29 is secured to the case 13 at its upper portion by the capscrew 30 and includes an extended portion 31 at its lower portion andthrough it the cap screw 32 passes. x The cap screw 32 includes theextended plan view of the winding the shield tioned so that the gear 25rotates freely about it as an axis. v

A rivet 34 passes through the two half round portions 22 and 23 as shownand the space 35 is left between these two half round portions, thepurpose of which will be explained later.

The other inside end of the case 13 includes the bearing 36 whichreceives the other ends of the half round elements. This bearing issecured at 37 by means of the cap screw 38.

A pair of screws 39 and 40 pass through the half round elements as shownand are adapted to secure the end of the fabric element 11.

The shield 41 (-see Figures 8 and 10) is arranged to be positionedadjacent the radiator cap of an automobile and includes the extendingprongs 42a of which there are two and arranged to snugly fit around theradiator cap to hold the shleld 41 in place.

A pair of rods 42 and 43 are secured to the inside of the shield 41 bymeans of elements 29 44 and 45.

These elements are welded or suitably secured to the inside of theshield at their inner ends as at 44a and 450:.

A pair of openings 46 and 47 are also in- 5 cluded in the shield 41 asshown.

The rods 42 and 43 are arranged to pass through openings 48 and 49 inthe case 13 and are slightly bent outwardly and thence again downwardlyat 50 and 51 so they will 80 be secured firmly thereto.

When it is desired to fold up the rods 42 and 43 within the case 13, theloop portions 52 and 53, which are at the shield ends of the rods, areslipped outwardly over the rods 44 and 45 and are then folded as shownin the dotted'positions'as at 54 and 55, (see Figure 7 It will beunderstood that the arrangement at 42a for passing around the radiatorcap can be made in any way just so it is -secured to the shield. Thisshield 41 is so constructed that after the tent structure is wound upfully on the reel, the shield can be placed directly on the open portionof the semi-cylindrical case 13. To secure the shield in this positionthe swinging lugs 56 and 57 are provided, which are suitably mounted onthe case 13 in swinging relation, which can be effected by means ofpins.

When the shield 41 is used in this manner as a cover over the case 13,the lugs 56 and 57 are swung so that their extending portions 58 and 59are received by the open slots 46 and 47 in the shield.

The flange portion 60 of the shield passes just within the portion 61 ofthe case and by virtue of this whole arrangement, it will be seen thatthe shield 41 provides a comparatively snug fitting cover for thewinding mechanism.

This shield provides a further important function which will bedescribed later.

Fi re 4, showsthe small auxiliary device whic is used to secure thecover structure 65 at the rear end of the automobile and further servesas a tensioning means when the cover is drawn over the car into thecase. It

consists of the pin 62, the end of which, is.

made in a loop form as at 63.

The pin is covered by an additional collar 64 and receives the hingestructure which comprises the two hinge leaves 65 and 66. These hingesare made in the conventional way similar to a door hinge as shown at 67and 68, and these elements 65 and 66 are ar ranged so that they can beswung outwardly or inwardly so as to grasp the rope, which rope is shownin section at 69.

The U shaped arm 70 is provided with the upwardly extending portions 71,which includes the adjusting screws 72 and 73. The U shaped arm 70 ispinned to the pin 62 as at 74.

It will be seen from this construction that -when it is desired totighten the rope within the leaves 65 and 66 the U shaped element 70 isdrawn upwardly so that the screws 72 and 73 press against the portions75 and 76 of the leaves and tend to constrict them inwardly about therope. The closed position as thus explained is shown in Figure 5.

I shall now explain the cover more fully. The cover is any suitable goodweather resisting fabric such as canvas or the like and includes anumber of metal weights such as 77 and 78, which besides serving asweights to keep the cover snugly against the auto mobile, also serve asstiffeners so that the tent structure can be easily folded and unfolded,(see Figure 2). These metal wei hts or stifieners are merely sewedinside of aps: as 81. These flaps are sewed around the perimeters of theweights and to the cover. thus securing them.

The arrows show the successive folding operations at A, B, C, and thenD.

It can be seen from the respective dotted positions of the cover howthese stideners are positioned so that the entire cover is a semi-rigidstructure, which can be folded up in consecutive folds, so that thecover can be easily rolled up on the reel without causing any attendantjamming or any other undesirable results.

Loops can be provided at 79 and 80 if desired to pass around the hubcaps and provide additional securing means, although this is not reallynecessary by virtue of the weights holding the cover in a substantiallybars will tend to restrict the end of the cover and secure it firmly inthe space 35. Y It can be seen that the half round bars are free to movealong the pin 34 since there is sufiicient clearance around the pin.

I shall now proceed to explain how my cover is used.

When it is desired to draw the cover structure over the car, the shield41 is positioned on the radiator cap as was before described and withthe arms 42 and 43 keeping it rigid. The rope 69 which is relativelylong is passed over the car to the rear, and the entire cover is drawnout of the case 13 in its folded up position as shown approximately onthe left hand side of Figure 2. The sides are then folded downwardly bymeans of the weights and the rope 69 passes through the tighteningarrangement as shown in Figure of an arc and which is relatively long sothe cover will be uided uniformly.

When it is desired to roll up the cover after it has been used, the rearholder ar-' rangement can be used as a means for providing a constanttension so that in case a strong wind is blowing, the cover will stillbe held securely until it is finally drawn into the case. This tensionis maintained by the U-shaped portion 70.

The screws 72 and 73 can be loosened slightly so that the, grip on therope is not too secure and when the handle 28 of the reel is wound, therope will constantly be kept passing through the portion between theleaves and 66 of the hinge, and the entire cover will be kept under afairly firm tension as long as it is being wound.

It will be understood that before the cover is wound on the reel, it isfolded up to the top of the automobile as shown .in Figure 2.

The shield 41, when folding, provides the same means for uniform andmore efficient guiding and winding of the cover.

The gear arrangement wherein the small gear 27 meshes with the largergear 25 provides a superior arrangement for winding the cover since itprovides for a great deal more power, which is necessary with a heaviercover of this type and the tension applied on the, rope 69. After thecover is wound completely within the case, the shield 41 is again usedas a cover for the substantially semi-cylindrical case 13.

I have rovided an alternative arrangement for olding up the cover to thetop of which can be very;

the car. (See Figure 12.) This arrangement consists of the weight orstiffening elements 82. Between these elements is stretched the spring83, the ends of which spring include the loops 84 and 85, which passthrough the openings 86 and 87 in .the weights 82.

The cut out portions 88 and 89 are further provided in the stiffeningelements. These stiffeners are spaced by means of rectangular loop 90,which provides a hingeing action at 91 and 92.

' It will be seen in Figure 2 at E, F, and G how same folding operationcan be provided in nearly the same manner.

As soon as the lower weight is moved up slightly in the foldingmovement, the spring 83 is thrown off the dead center of the arrangementshown in Figure 12, and the spring will clasp the lower weight 82against the loop portion 90 and then in further folding, the spring willagain be thrown off center on the upper weight except in the otherdirection, and in this manner, by successive movements, the cover willbe raised and folded more conveniently to the top of the car.

The automobile can be used and driven about with the case 13 in positionon the bumper, which case is out of the way and in its most convenientposition.

It can be seen that I have provided a cover for an automobile which willfulfill a variety of purposes such as covering the car in any emergencyor at any deslred time.

I have provided such an arrangement conveniently positioned on theautomobile y an eflicient winding arrangement and whicharrangementcomprlses a minimum number of parts to accomplish the resultsin the most satisfactory manner.

I have also provided such acover for automobiles which is of asemi-rigid character, which in itself is an advantage from manystandpoints.

Among these advantages it may be n1entioned that a cover of thistype mayremain more securely positioned on the auto-mobile and also providesmeans for convenient folding of the cover.

I have also provided tensioning means so' that the cover can be drawninto its case with a constant tension being applied at the rear of theautomobile so that in a case of strong winds and so forth, the coverwill not be blown about. p

I have also provided a winding arrange ment which gives suflicient powerto accomplish the above mentioned means.

Furthermore I have provided an automoreal spirit and purpose of myinvention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modifiedforms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may bereasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible covering structure for antomobiles or other vehicles,comprising, a cover, adapted to be received in a casing secured to thefront of the car said casing being substantially semi-cylindrical, andhaving an opening inclined rearwardly, and a shield for guiding thecover uniformly when it is drawn over the vehicle.

2. A collapsible covering structure for'automobiles or other vehiclescomprising, a cover, adapted to be received in a casing secured to thefront of the car, said casing being substantially semi-cylindrical, andhaving an opening inclined rearwardly, and a shield for guiding thecover uniformly when it is drawn over the vehicle, said shield includingprongs for securing it to a radiator cap.

3. A collapsible covering structure for automobiles or other vehiclescomprising, a cover, adapted to be received in a casing secured to thefront of the car, said casing being substantially semi-cylindrical, andhaving an opening inclined rearwardl and a shield for guiding the coveruni ormly when it is drawn over the vehicle, said shield includingprongs for securing it to a radiator cap, and a pair of rods forsecuring it in firm relation to the casing.

4. A cover for automobiles or other vehicles including means for foldingsaid cover on the top of the vehicle, said means comprising stilfenersor spring connected elements hinged together to facilitate folding ofthe cover in successive folds upwardly and over the vehicle top.

5. A cover for automobiles or other vehicles including means for foldingsaid cover on the top of the vehicle, said means comprising stifi'enersor spring connected elements hinged together to facilitate folding ofthe cover in successive folds upwardly and over the vehicle top, saidcover adapted to be reeled upon a reel secured to the front bumper ofthe car after it is folded.

6. A cover for automobiles or other ve-' hicles including means forfolding said cover on the top of the vehicle, said means comprisingstitfeners or spring connected elements hinged together to facilitatefolding of the cover in successive folds upwardly and over the vehicletop, said cover adapted to be reeled upon a reel secured to the frontbumper of the car after it is folded, and a substantiallysemi-cylindrical member, including prongs for engagement with a radiatorcap, said member providing means for guiding-the cover during thereeling operation, and further providing covering means for the reel.

Signed at Springfield, South Dakota, this 21st day of November, 1931.,

EVERT WANDSCHEER.

